


The Embrace of Death

by Kakashifan727



Category: Darksiders (Video Games)
Genre: Disabled Protagonist, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Friends to Lovers, Mutual Pining, Porn Later, Slow Burn, Some Plot, Voice Kink
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-06
Updated: 2018-08-19
Packaged: 2019-06-06 03:19:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15185591
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kakashifan727/pseuds/Kakashifan727
Summary: Female ReaderxDeath(Major revisions being done to this so hiatus for now.)You were plain, ordinary, nothing special. Yet you find yourself tagging along in Death’s journey to vindicate his brother from the Council. It was either that, or die really; so you choose the former. Well, not so much as choose as have it decided for you. Being the last living human across the realms didn’t exactly afford you any perks.Though maybe traveling with Death was one in and of itself. And the bond you had begun to develop was something you wouldn’t trade for the world.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Short chapter to garner interest maybe. Trying to do this differently, due to the protagonist. Thought it would be interesting.

You cannot see anything, not even your own nose two inches in front of your face, darkness surrounding you. The latter really wasn’t that concerning; as you had been dealing with it all of your short life. But the complete absence of light, not even pinpricks of shadows, confused you. Nothing made sense to you, your memories jumbled and lost to you. All you could remember was pain, all across your body, screaming at your nerves and rushing across your body like fire. Pain, and cold, going by the sensations currently running through your skin. It felt as if you were lying on a bed of ice. You try to bring one hand to your face, to touch your nose, but find it nearly impossible, your arm feeling heavy like lead.

 

What happened to you? Why can’t you move? Where are you? You strain your ears, trying to focus and listen for anything, anything at all that could be around you. It is slightly difficult, as the wind whips in your ears, obscuring sounds and muffling footsteps. You can still  _ feel _ the vibrations in the ground however, the footsteps of  _ something _ moving closer to you with each step. You notice something cold and wet fall onto you sparsely as you wait for something to happen. They move, their steps dislodging the stuff, the vibrations easing suddenly. It was more unpleasant than anything, the cold making your body shake involuntarily.

 

“...” 

 

You try to let out a gasp of pain, or maybe confusion, but your tongue is dry and mouth uncooperative. It’s a tiny, strangled noise; one that barely escapes your throat, only to die as quickly as it came. That seems to be enough for whatever thing whose attention you’ve gotten, as you feel the air shift as they bend their frame towards you, a velvety voice greeting your ears with an exclamation of pure shock.

 

“What!? This can’t be…!”

 

You feel something soft and warm touch your face then, trailing along your neck to feel your pulse. A hand, you think, going by the way the digits press lightly at certain spots. It stays there for a moment, feeling your veins pulse under your skin before departing, cold slowly replacing the warm feel of their fingers. You can only exhale in response, a weak croak your only noise, words and speech currently beyond your power.

 

“Can’t talk, hmm? Tch. Forget asking questions then...Hold on.”

 

You hear the deep voice say, as you feel their warmth come closer to your body. It was stern, its deep dulcet tones making your heart leap, but oddly comforting to you. Probably because you were too out of your wits to be afraid, glad to know whatever had found you wasn’t immediately hostile. At least you hoped so. Your suspicions were confirmed a moment later as you feel a large hand slide underneath your hair, finger becoming tangled in your dirty locks as they cradled the back of your head. 

 

You feel them lift your neck up, tilting your head forward as something is pressed to your partially open lips. You nearly sputter, not used to the water trickling down your lips, but it comes out slowly enough and in a small enough amount that you are able to gulp it down. The refreshing liquid sustains you, as you take small sips, needing it. After a few seconds of this, the water slowly recedes from your open mouth, the instrument leaving your lips as you feel the figure shuffle beside you.

 

“There. Now, tell me, what is a human doing here?”

 

You hear them ask you, feeling their other hand gently slide underneath your legs, feeling the air underneath you shift as you are lifted upwards. You let out a squeal of surprise, warmth surrounding your cold body all of a sudden. It wasn’t much, but it was comforting to your freezing body. You try your best to speak, not wanting to upset them.

 

“I...I’m sorry. I d-don’t...know...Where...am I?”

 

You can feel their warm breath waft over your torso, imagining the figure to be tilting its head in your direction.

 

“You don’t know? What is the last thing you remember?”

 

“Remember?”

 

You dig deep into your thoughts, trying to recall something, anything before the cold darkness took you. All you can feel is a stabbing pain in your head, one that makes you grimace. 

 

“Don’t hurt yourself attempting to remember. You’re fragile enough as it is right now, human.”

 

“Mmm…”

 

You were glad they relented, having a feeling that this particular train of thought wasn’t going to get you anywhere. The way they kept referring to you as a ‘human’ put you slightly on guard. That must mean that they were something ‘other’, and that wasn’t a good thing for you. Flashes of memory, sensations and feelings, run through you. You had been fighting, but against what you weren’t sure. You only know that it wasn’t human, much like the thing that had come to your aid. But, this one could be trusted; you feel, if it wanted to kill you, it most certainly could have left for you dead or killed you itself. So, you want to try and stay on their good side for as long as possible, frightened slightly as you feel the air around them shift.

 

“This is quite something...A human, here, of all places. Well, this only makes things a thousand times more complicated…”

 

You hear them say, confusion flashing across your face for a moment. They must have noticed it; for you felt their grip on you tighten as they readjusted your body. You dare to ask a question, curiosity compelling you.

 

“What…?”

 

You barely manage to get the words out before a wave of fatigue hits you, feeling like a heavy collision to your already exhausted body. You only feel the figure move once again, their footsteps making tremors against what you could only assume was the ground. They let out a small sigh, and you can feel the rush of air across your neck, tickling you slightly.

 

“Don’t worry about that. I suppose I’ll have to babysit you for a while, despite my more pressing matters to attend to right now, considering the state you’re in. I doubt you can take care of yourself at the moment.”

 

You knew they meant well, seeing as you were half-alive and probably would have died without their help, but you still hated the idea. Part of you was embarrassed, another grateful for the warmth, and the physical contact. Though it did hurt slightly, your aching body protesting every time it came into contact with them. Still, it was better than being on the cold floor, you reasoned and so you put up with it. You only let out a tiny huff, narrowing your brows at the direction you assumed their face was.

 

“I can take care of myself, thank you.”

 

You feel their chest rumble with laughter, a deep chuckle escaping their throat. It was a nice sound; deep and sincere, though you knew it was mocking you. Not that you could blame them, after that pointless bravado you spouted. You just didn’t want to be seen as useless…

 

“Is that so? Well then, I don’t think you’d object much if I left you here ‘to take care of yourself’, hmm?”

 

You feel your cheeks flush at their tone, as if they were speaking to an unruly child. You let out a noise of disapproval, shifting yourself to face away from them as best you could while still in their arms. It was difficult, as they had a wide chest with broad shoulders and arms; which explained why you were so warm in their embrace. You wanted to move your hands and explore further; figure out just who, or what, you were dealing with. A voice in your head said that would be a bad idea and to reconsider. Another equally loud voice said to go for it, but your rational side won out in the end, hands limply dangling in the air near their hips.

 

“I was joking. Nothing else to say, little one?”

 

“I have a name, y’know. And who the hell are you? What’s going on?”

 

You scoff, giving your name to the odd person. They hum in response, a light tremor that sets your pulse on edge.

 

“Ah, yes. A name...I am what you would call Death, little human. And you, you are the sole survivor of your entire race.”

  
  
  



	2. Chapter 2

After your initial outburst of confusion, Death calmly and patiently explained the situation. It’s voice was calm as it explained things, the deep tenor of it making you think the figure was most likely male—if you had to assign a gender to it anyway. Honestly, the whole scenario was quite hard for you to grasp; you couldn’t believe that humanity had become extinct, the Earth was in ruins and, more importantly, that you were the sole human in all of creation. 

 

“The last...human?”

 

You can only repeat that fact dumbly, your chest constricting as you took in the information he had told you. Why you, of all people, you wondered? Guilt surges through you as you try to remember your family and friends, your head bobbing slightly with each step he took, coming up with mostly vague recollections. Names and voices flash through your mind and you do your to best to remain somewhat composed despite the pain. Why were you the one that was chosen, allowed to live? It wasn’t fair, you thought; there were plenty of more qualified people out there that deserved to survive more than you did.

 

“...”

 

“Saying something like ‘it’s going to be ok’ is pointless in a situation like this. I will tell you however, that I do plan to get to the bottom of this.”

 

You hear Death say, making you cock your head to the side in confusion. He clearly sees this, taking little to no time to answer.

 

“My brother…Everyone seems convinced he was the one who broke the seals and loosed the end of days upon your realm. I find that extremely hard to believe; they are just using him as a scapegoat. I intend to find out the truth and clear his name.”

 

“Huh…”

 

You mutter, not really understanding what he had said but getting the overall gist of it. You weren’t sure of the truth of his claim; you barely knew anything about him or what he was doing in a place like this. Wherever the hell this was. You attempt to ask as much, despite the exhaustion draining your strength, wanting some insight on your current situation. 

 

“So...where are we, exactly?”

 

“Looking for a lead. Or at least I  _ was _ ...before I found you nearly dead in the snow.”

 

You can only turn your head towards the rumbling baritone of his voice, the sound of his footsteps crunching on the snow almost calming to your frazzled nerves. You feel your body shake a little, the cold biting through your worn out top and bottoms. You only bite in the bottom of your lip, in a vain effort to keep your discomfort hidden.

 

“...I see. That explains why it’s so freezing cold.”

 

“Cold? Sometimes I do forget how vulnerable you humans are...Hold on.”

 

You feel him shift then, his grip on your upper body tightening as the hand lifting your legs removes itself from underneath your knees. You notice the air move a second later, making you shake from the cold it produces, before you feel something soft and clothlike haphazardly cover your body. You feel his free hand move the thing about this way and that, dragging it across so that it covered your tiny frame. His hand returns to its position underneath your legs a moment later, but not before you are jostled by his rough grip. It helps set the cloth in place, and you are somewhat grateful for the non intrusive assistance.

 

“I’d rather you not die. I can handle the cold just fine.”

 

“Thank you…”

 

Is the only thing you can mutter, snuggling into the robe as best you. It was quite warm, much better than your tattered excuse for an outfit, though you could detect an odd musk coming from the cloth. It was a damp, earthy smell, though not uncomfortable to your senses. You feel yourself jump as a powerful magical energy seems to rise up beneath you out of nowhere, startling you. You think you can hear Death chuckle, though your own heartbeat is pounding in your ears too much to be sure. He adjusts his grip on you, sternly commanding you to stay still as he seats you upright, your legs dangling against something firm and odd feeling. 

 

It moves shakily, and you wonder if you would fall off if not for Death’s grip on your abdomen, pulling you uncomfortably flush against him. An odd sounding huff erupts from in front of you, followed by Death’s other hand brushing against your opposite side as he moved something with a practiced grace. It has an odd echo and reverberates, but you realize that the creature in front of—or below you, maybe—lets out a strained whinnying cry. A horse? Well, he was called Death, after all. The Pale Rider. It would make sense for him to have a steed. His voice is quick to bring you out of your contemplations, breath tickling the back of your neck.

 

“No need to thank me. I’d have to be a complete fool to jeopardize your life for my own comfort.”

 

He stated this matter of factly, and you could offer him a small nod of your head. Unable to think of any way to propel the conversation forward, and being too exhausted to try, you just settle into a quiet rhythm, feeling the horse’s hooves clomp with each step it took. Death was cautious enough to keep a firm grip on you and the reins, the feeling of his much larger and more muscular arm wrapped around your torso making you self conscious of your own small size. Or maybe he was just that much bigger than you? You assumed he was human, or at least humanoid in shape, going by his movements and what you could feel of his hands and chest when they touched you.

 

All you knew right then was that you were grateful for his body heat, the feeling of his sculpted abdomen against your back making your skin tingle like he had electrocuted you. You stiffen slightly, your back arching somewhat so that you were no longer in contact with his chest. 

 

“What are you doing?”

 

“U-uhh...This is...kinda intimate, don’t ya think?”

 

You hear him huff, an exasperated noise that also sounds a touch amused.

 

“So you’d rather die of frostbite or the fall, than risk being mortified for no good reason? Humans are such odd beings...”

 

You frown, stiffening once again as you feel your face burn as you settle back against his chest. You doubted he would really understand the odd feelings welling up in your chest at that moment. Even you weren’t too sure what they were or where they came from. Probably just born out of gratitude that he saved your life, you guess. Coughing to clear your throat, you try to speak.

 

“...Well, ehhhh…Mmmm...Who were you going to see anyway? If you don’t mind me asking?”

 

Death doesn’t say anything about your abrupt change of topic and simply goes with it, as you feel his arm muscles tense as he grabs tighter onto the reins. You lurch forward just a couple inches, the horse starting to begin a brisk trot now, honestly thankful for his protective grip on you. Even if it was, as he said, ‘mortifying’. 

 

“To see The Crowfather—a being as powerful as he is ancient. And unpredictable. Maybe he will know what to do with you…”

 

You admit you didn’t like the way he said that last sentence, as if you were a pet of some kind or something. Still, you can't really blame him; you wouldn’t want to take care of you either. To him, you were probably just an obstacle, a needless weight that was in the way of his main goal. Though, part of you did wonder, if he was so adamant about helping his brother, why he saved you in the first place…

 

Wouldn’t it have been better to leave you to die?

 

“Well...Hopefully you find some kind of a lead.”

 

You absentmindedly mutter, honestly hoping the best for him. Even if he didn’t want anything to do with you—and you couldn’t blame him—you still wanted him to succeed in whatever he had to do. Call it naïveté or some odd sense of kindness, but you were being honest with yourself.

 

“...”

 

He says nothing, though you could notice the way his breath hitches for only a fraction of a moment, as he then let out another mirthless scoff. Did he think you were lying? Making fun of him, perhaps? What an odd way to think, though you understood where he was coming from. People were often difficult for you to read, their true intent hard to parse. Maybe it was the same with him?

 

“We’re almost there. Don’t move.”

 

His grip on you tightens suddenly, though thankfully not enough to agitate your aching body, as you feel the presence underneath you almost evaporate into thin air. A surprised squeal comes out of you, no longer able to feel any of the vibrations made by the horse’s hooves. Everything was kind of dark and silent, save for the slow and steady beat of Death’s heart. 

 

“Unfortunately, the terrain up ahead isn’t quite suitable for Despair. We’ll have to go on foot from here—though I highly doubt you can walk in your current state. Much less scale a cliff of this stature.”

 

“ _ Cliff _ !?  _ How _ are you planning on doing that in this weather? The rock is probably too slippery—“

 

“I have my ways. Now be quiet and hold on tightly. Unless you wish to fall to your death.”

 

“...”

 

You don’t argue with him, waiting as you feel him maneuver your body so that you are clinging onto his neck, your legs shifting to wrap comfortably around his hips. You aren’t really sure how he does it, but you don’t have much time to process it as he swiftly clambers up the side of the rock face. Something slick brushes against your face as he climbs, brushing your nostrils and swaying across your face every few moments. Hair, you think, as you take in its earthy smell; looks like he hadn’t washed it for some time. That would explain why it was so greasy feeling. Though, it didn’t bother you too much, as you understood you probably weren’t any better off yourself. It still didn’t smell too great though...

 

“There…”

 

You hear him grunt, his voice almost a guttural rumble as you feel his throat vibrate along your palms. You loosen your grip on his neck a bit, not wanting to choke him. Death doesn’t seem to be ready to let you go however, as you feel his large hands readjust your arms.

 

“We are almost there. Try to hold on for a while longer.”

 

You just nod, nearly eating a mouthful of his hair as your face presses into his shoulder. You make a sputtering noise, sticking out your tongue slightly in order to make sure any extra strands aren’t still caught in your mouth.

 

“...Yeah. Fine…”

 

If Death was offended, he certainly didn’t show it, simply continuing to walk forward with his usual practiced gait. It feels like a while before he stops moving, his throat constricting as you hear him him in disapproval. He carefully sets you down next to him, and you stand—not wanting to be left vulnerable on the ground if anything were to happen. You could feel the air shift around you, a sort of power or force seemingly materializing out of nowhere. You feel Death's hand press on your stomach, the gentle force applied there enough to push you back a few steps. Which only made you more confused. 

 

“W-what’s going on!? Are you alright?”

 

He doesn’t answer you, though you hear the sound of metal scraping against metal. Was he drawing a blade of some sort? It was the only thing you could think of. All you can do is just stand there, dumbly, as you listen for his footsteps moving farther and farther away from you. Shouts and grunts sound out soon after, along with the horrible squelching noise of blades of flesh. You wince, not fully understanding what is going on, though an odd coppery smell rises to your nose that reminds you of blood. 

 

Was he hurt? Bleeding? Or was that the blood of whatever creature he was facing? You couldn’t tell, and you didn’t want to move from the spot; yet your arm extended towards where you heard Death last move, almost as if you were reaching out for him. You weren’t sure why you did so; maybe because he was the person who had helped you this far, his somewhat stoic and cold demeanor notwithstanding.

 

You listen for his footsteps, relieved when you notice the vibrations his steps make as he walks closer to you. Letting out a breath you didn’t know you’d been holding, you out a hand to your chest in order to calm your racing heart.

 

“Hmph. I am fine; this old coot’s parlor tricks aren’t enough to stop me. You don’t have to worry on my account, human.”

 

“Is that so, Horseman? Considering you’ve made it all the way here, I suppose you are right in a sense…”

 

A new voice calls out, it’s tone mocking despite the harsh edge that made your skin tremble. Whoever this was, they were quite powerful, as you could feel the same type of energy that the creature from before had been giving off, yet emanating from farther away. It was mixed with something else, something horribly sinister, which made you backpedal in fear.

 

You hear Death hum in a disapproving way, the air disturbed around you as he sets his weapons back into their holsters with the screech of metal. The powerful energy from before only grows in intensity, the voice focusing more on Death than you as it speaks.

 

“Come to take back the amulet you cursed me with, hmm?”

 

“Cursed? Ha, don’t forget old man; you  _ asked _ for the amulet, the knowledge it held. I only gave you what you wanted. Don’t blame me if the souls contained within are driving you mad.”

 

You could barely follow their terse back and forth, Death’s tone scathingly addressing the other speaker. The older sounding man just chuckles harshly, before he launches into a tirade of sorts. You feel the malicious energy surge all of a sudden, and your legs tremble from fear.

 

“Hmmm? A human? I wonder, would you like to take this amulet? It can give you knowledge and power you could only dream of, hehehehe!”

 

“Don’t you  _ dare _ ! A weak mortal could never contain the madness within that amulet!”

 

“Fine then Horseman! Why don’t  _ you _ hold onto the souls of your kin—the ones you murdered with your own hand!?”

 

The malicious energy moves swiftly towards the two of as you hear something like a shattering noise. You cry out as Death’s rough push shoves you to the icy ground, confusing you until you hear him scream in pain. It is a horrible, tortured sound that makes your heart wrench—you never were good with people being hurt in front of you. It feels like hours to you before his breathing returns to normal, instead of the ragged pained gasps escaping him. 

 

“ _ Death!?” _

 

“I...am alright.”

 

He barely says, his tone exhausted and voice raspy as he stumbles forward. The vibration is quite close to you, enough that you can guess what is happening, and you feel your hand reach out again—despite the exhaustion making your limbs feel as they were tied to heavy weights.

 

You only feel air, the Horseman already standing a few feet in front of your prone form as you hear his feet shuffle on the ground. You also notice that the strange energy seemed to have lessened somewhat, though it felt much, much closer than before. Just what had happened? Before you can even ask, Death angrily shouts at the other person, who only answers him with a statement of his own.

 

“So, to save War you would attempt to find proof? What about this human, then? They are the last survivor of an extinct race—much too valuable to be kept here with me. Horseman, she would be safer with you, ironic though it is.”

 

“...You have a point, you old coot. Still, the places I am going are dangerous—certainly no place for a fragile human. Wouldn’t want to have them dying on me now.”

 

“I’m not that fragile, thanks!”

 

You impulsively shout, not liking how Death was belittling you. Sure you weren’t pretty by normal human standards, or smart, or had any skills that were worthy—at least, this is what you often heard while deep in your own thoughts—but that didn’t give him the right to talk about you like he knew everything about you! You let out an irritated huff, crossing your arms over your torso in an attempt to appear intimidating.

 

Death and the other figure only look your way, their gazes feeling as if they are boring straight through you even though you can’t see exactly where they are looking. You are a tad sheepish—able to feel their presences clearly. You try to make your voice sound brave and confident, yet all that comes out is a pitiful squeal that makes your dry throat hurt.

 

“Let me go with you. I can’t do much, but...I want to find out who destroyed the human race. I want to watch you make them pay!”

 

You hear Death inhale sharply, probably taking a moment or two to process what you had just said. Sure, it was kind of out there, even for you. But you meant it; you didn’t want to be useless and you most definitely wanted to be there when Death found who was responsible.

 

“You cannot be serious, human. I have no time to babysit you further; I must prove my brother's innocence.”

 

“I want to go, dammit! Take me with you! It’s better than wasting away here—“

 

You argue, anger surging within you as you try your hardest to stand up to him. You weren’t taking no for an answer; you’d go with him whether he wanted it or not.

 

It was illogical, crazy even, you knew that. But that still didn’t stop the pang of frustration resonating through your chest as you heard the old man’s words. Yet it was also tempered by anger, rage even at the person who had killed your entire race and destroyed your world. How dare they do such a thing!? What gave them the right? You wanted vengeance, and going with Death on his quest to redeem his brother seemed to be the best way to do that.

 

“I said no—“

 

“Take the child of man with you, Horseman. She would be much safer in your care than mine.”

 

“ _ What?” _

 

_ “Huh?” _

 

You hear the two of you say in shocked unison, confusion clear in both of your tones. The other person however, is unaffected by your outburst, a twinge of mirth in his croaking voice as he explains.

 

“She is the last hope for humanity, if our plans to restore the human race go awry. And I have a feeling they might.”

 

“...It seems I have no real choice in the matter. Let us go then; we are wasting time here.”

 

Death’s voice is gruff and hard, though the hands he places on the small of your back and shoulder are anything but as he leads you away. Having no other alternative, you follow his lead, albeit hesitantly. Just what was going on?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ending was a tad rushed; I admit I don’t remember their exchange that well and was too lazy to look it up. Honestly not that important in the scheme of this fiction for now.


	3. Chapter 3

Your head is spinning, your body slightly off balance as you finally collide with something solid. The smell of freshly cut grass comes to your nostrils then, as does the pain of having your hands sliding against dirt. You simply lay there, overwhelmed now by the cacophony of sounds, as you try to adjust yourself. You had been with Death, in some sort of cold place, talking about finding some Tree of Life or whatever. He was discussing things with the Crowfather, before you heard the sound of metal sliding out of its sheath. All too quickly, there was a bloodcurdling scream as the wet sound of blade against flesh entered your ears, making your stomach queasy. 

 

Then, a buildup of energy had flowed forth from that spot—you heard a sort of rasping chant in an alien language that made your whole being tremble—and your feet had been pulled out from underneath you. It had made you sick, nauseous as if your whole being was split apart, then was gone in mere seconds. Only followed by the sound of wind in your ears, and the sensation of footsteps drawing closer, as you face planted against the ground somewhat painfully. You suppose you had ended up somewhere else, seeing as how the environment seemed so vibrant and rich with life. But where exactly was this place? And where was Death? 

 

A spike of fear resounds through you then, hoping nothing had happened to him— honestly for his own sake than anything of yours—your nerves on edge as you attempt to stand up. It was hard, as your body was still so tired, and you felt hunger edging it’s way into your stomach, enveloping it, consuming it. The recent magical trip you took only made matters worse, pained gasps escaping your raw throat—parched for lack of water. You can barely wobble onto your feet, your body pitching forward as soon as you right yourself. Before you collide with the ground once more you feel the warmth of a body right in front of you, the familiar feel of strong arms wrapping around your body protectively making you feel oddly at ease. Well if it wasn’t for your pounding heart and blushing face. Death easily scoops you up in his arms, cradling you in that same position you were so admonished to be in. It’s not that you didn’t like it—part of you admits that you did find his warmth, touch and smell comforting—but it was mortifying to you. You can only respond by letting out an embarrassed huff, your voice quiet on account of being so tired.

 

“This...isn’t going...to become a...thing, is it?”

 

“I certainly hope not. As much as I appreciate the strength training, I’d rather not have to carry you everywhere we go.”

 

“S-sorry...I’m just...tired. And starving...You try...going days with—without food…”

 

You can barely finish the taunt, so exhausted you were at the moment. You felt embarrassed and ashamed; that you once again had to rely on Death to help you. Well, you were hurt and starving, not to mention possibly half dead, so you suppose it couldn’t be helped. It didn’t make you feel any better about it though. He seemed to understand your overall condition was indeed worsening, going by the way his heartbeat sped up slightly as his long hair brushed against your face as he turned to look at you.

 

“...You certainly seem worse than before. How did you manage to survive this long with that weak body? And food...Do humans require constant nourishment?”

 

“...Dunno. Luck, I guess...Haven’t eaten...in at least...a day…So, you don’t...get your...e-energy by eating, I...assume?”

 

“No, I have no need to rely on food for nourishment as you humans do. I can still enjoy the sensation of eating, however…”

 

Well it made sense. Death didn’t exactly seem human, so you doubted his body worked off of the same rules as yours. After emitting a small hum of contemplation, you went silent. He didn’t continue the conversation and you currently had no desire to either. Talking wasn’t really on your mind right now; you just wanted to rest. You use the vibrations of Death’s footsteps, as well as any other sounds your ears could pick up, to try and make sense of the landscape around you. It was certainly different from where you had been before, as you could hear the trees bristling against the wind and smell freshly mowed earth. And maybe make out something that sounded like a carefree tune being whistled, though you assumed it was the sound of the wind going across the leaves, so faint it was.

 

After a few minutes of walking, a small scream of terror escapes your lips as you feel a particularly strong and large vibration come from the direction you were heading towards. You can feel the rate of his heart accelerate slightly again, fingers tightening their grip around your body as Death’s neck pivoted in your direction, stopping his steady trek through this woodland area.

 

“What are you yelling for?”

 

“I...I felt something...move. S-Something big—huge! Could it be a...monster of some s-sort?”

 

“...A monster, you say? Out here? It’s not entirely impossible, considering how far this ‘Corruption’ has spread…”

 

You only let out another small squeal, noticing that in the time you had had your small conversation that the vibrations were more frequent, taking less time to reach you than before, close together in timing. As if something was walking—or stalking—towards you. You could almost make out the general identity of the creature that was responsible, following the trail back to its source with your own small mouth clicks. You had used this technique before, back when you were on Earth to try and find things on your own.  

 

“A giant…?”

 

You whisper, your ministrations having revealed to you a large humanoid shaped thing somewhat close from your position. Well, it walked on two legs and seemed to have a mouth of some sort, if the noises it were making were any indication. You felt Death relax at your words, a grumbled complaint coming out of his mouth.

 

“So it was just a Maker? You screamed just because of that?”

 

You feel your face flush, understanding he was admonishing you, but snapped back just as quickly, not wanting him to have the upper hand.

 

“W-well, I had...no idea what...it was! It could’ve been a...monster of some sort...The heck’s a...Maker, anyhow?”

 

“I’m probably not the best one to ask. I know very little of them myself.”

 

You feel him let out another huff, this one tinged with annoyance, you think, as the Horseman waits for the large figure to come closer. After a few moments, you feel it stop some feet away from the pair of you, and hear it’s sharp intake of breath before it speaks.

 

“Is that...a live human!?”

 

“Well, right now she’s currently alive, but she probably won’t be so for much longer if you simply stand there slack jawed…She requires a place to recuperate, and some food; if you even have anything fit for human consumption.”

 

You hear Death snark, your cheeks flushing at his outright rudeness. You couldn’t really say much however—he was trying to help—though you narrowed your eyes and titled your head towards the sound of his voice.

 

“...Yes. I can arrange that for you, Horseman. Though I’m not sure if anything we have will be small enough for the little human.”

 

“...That’s fine. Then we can discuss the way to the Tree of Life, old one.”

 

You hear the giant Maker humph, before quickly turning on his heel and doing something that made the air shift slightly.

 

“Keep traveling that way and you’ll reach Tri-Stone, one of our lands mostly unharmed by the Corruption.”

 

You feel Death grip your body tighter against him, shocking you and making your heart beat faster as you come into contact with his chest. You can hear the faint sound of what seems to be screams, yells of agony and rage up against your ear as it comes into contact with an unusually cold spot on his breast. It makes you shudder against him, the Horseman’s head tilting down towards you so that some of his hair tickles your nose.

 

“What’s wrong now?”

 

“Did something...happen to...you? The right...side of your...chest...is cold. And...I hear...screaming…”

 

You feel his arms adjust their grip on your middle, but not before a low hum reaches your ears, the coldness gone as you feel your body swerve in the air. The wind whips past your ears for a moment, and you feel magic flow through the air, making you elicit a sharp gasp of surprise, before you are jostled by the rough muscle of his forearms shifting you into place once again, pulling you into a sitting position, one arm wrapped tightly around your chest lest you fall off. A grumble escapes your lips, a noise more like a snarl than anything as you attempt to cross your arms over one another. 

 

“Goddammit! I am not a sack of flour! Please warn me before you do that.”

 

A short, huff escapes his chest then, making you feel even more self-conscious than before. Was he mocking you? You couldn’t tell; his body language hadn’t changed at all in that short time frame. The only reason you could hear his heartbeat in the first place was because of your sharp hearing and closeness to his chest. You doubt the giant—Maker, you quickly corrected yourself—even noticed his movement, if anything. He was probably more concerned about the whiffling horse that had appeared out of nowhere.

 

“You can’t walk in your state. And the distance is quite a ways on foot. Taking Despair is the best option. Or would you rather I leave you and you may crawl there?”

 

He avoids your question, making you slightly more frustrated with the Horseman. You simply let out an exasperated sigh of your own, your body too weak and tired to really protest much.

 

“...I just...forget it…it’s nothing…”

 

You feel him stiffen against you, his hands moving towards the reins and giving them a sharp tug. Despair lets out a sharp cry, and you start to feel the sensation of wind blowing past your hair, the animal’s hooves making loud, hard vibrations on the ground. You simply sit and do your best to keep still, listening to the world around you, smelling every scent that passed by your nose—though it was difficult with Despair moving so fast. It was more of a brisk trot, but still much faster than walking on foot. The ride was mostly silent, no words from either yourself or Death forthcoming. Which was fine, you supposed; you were still trying to sort through the insanity that was going on around you. 

 

It wasn’t long before you felt your body swaying backwards from the momentum as Despair reared backward, a loud noise erupting out of his snout. The sudden movement caused you to become startled, though Death’s arm around your waist kept you from moving too much. The giant horse thankfully settles down a moment later, as you feel the air move as his mane whips back and forth. 

 

“We’ve arrived. Despair can go no further however, so we will be going the rest of the way on foot. I assume you’re still too weak to try walking?”

 

You attempt to move your arms a bit, wincing as pain lances through your body, burning your muscles and causing your brain to scream out warning signals. They drop to your sides almost immediately, and you let out an annoyed huff as you grit your teeth in annoyance. God, how you hated being an invalid!

 

“God dammit…”

 

Is the only thing you can really utter in your frustration, shifting your body so lying down isn’t uncomfortable. You can feel the air shift as Death’s grip on you tightens; Despair emitting a whinny that soon faded as the horse vanished. You don’t really respond, more focused on the new smells and sounds that are invading your senses. Ancient stone seemed to surround you, going by the vibrations Death’s boots made when he walked; a sound quite distinct from that of soft earth under one’s feet. You catch the old, earthen smell of clay, along with a few other distinct things as the wind breezes by. The distant sound of grunts and growls makes you start for a moment: until you are able to catch the fainest wisp of conversation.

 

“...Wha kinda dodge...Pup? If ya wanna survive…yer...than tha’!”

 

The two seem to stop their bickering instantly as you feel their large bodies turn your way. The air shifts as you hear both of them gasp, their deep voices seeming to echo in your ears.

 

“A human…”

 


End file.
